10 Ways to use GOSH 'Darling' (or any other 'Too Pale' Lipsticks)

Way back when I first started blogging...ok, so almost one year ago, I saw a few people nattering on about GOSH 'Darling'. How it had been one of those products everyone had loved for a while, then 90% of them realised it didn't really work for them. A few ended up in blog sales, in the bin, collecting dust...Jane over at Modesty Brown was kind enough to send me hers after I commented that my Superdrug didn't stock it and I was curious to try it out. Now, since I'm not *super* pale, I can't rock the pale lippies straight from the bullet, so I started playing with GOSH 'Darling' to see how exactly I could use pale lipsticks with them making me look awful...

1. To pale down dark lipsticks.
Once Autumn/ Winter is over, my lips rarely see dark shades until they come back 'on trend' 12 months later. A great way to get some use from them all year around is to mix them with a pale lipstick to make a shade which is wearable.

2. To make bright lipsticks more pastel.
I'm sure we've all done it - bought a bright lippy which doesn't quite suit us or we don't have the balls to wear. Instead of giving it away, turn it into a pastel by mixing it with a pale lipstick. Perfect for Spring/ Summer!

3. To tone down cream blush.
Occasionally I spot cream blushes which I know I would have to blend into oblivion for them to work with my skintone. Instead of passing said cream blushers by, I mix them with a pale lippy to make them more wearable. If you use a gloss finish/ moisturising lipstick, it makes the cream blush easier to blend into your skin, too.

4. To highlight cheekbones.
If you're not such a pro at blending, only use a lipstick a few shades lighter than your foundation, otherwise you might end up looking like Adam Ant. Otherwise, mix the lippy with your foundation and then apply it.

5. To highlight the centre of the lips.
Dab the pale colour into the centre of the lips to make them instantly look fuller and more youthful.

[[ OCC 'Hoochie' and 'Anime' lip tars mixed with GOSH 'Darling' ]]

6. To mix with liptars.
Sometimes I just don't feel like wearing 'Hoochie' and 'Anime' in their full eye blindingly bright glory, I apply my pale lippy and then rub the tiniest amount of lip tar into them for a less, um...neon effect.

7. To mix with pigments.
In general I'm not a huge fan of wearing dry pigments on the lips, but mixing a little with a moisturising lipstick results in a comfortable, soft finish. You can of course, also wear the resulting mix as a cream blush or highlighter.

8. With a tan, bronzer, gloss and metallic eyes.
The best way to counteract the 'dead lips' effect of a pale lipstick is to make sure the rest of your face looks anything but dead! The most effective way is to tan or wear a foundation a *touch* deeper than your regular choice (blend, blend, blend), matte bronzer under your cheekbones, shimmery bronzer over your cheekbones and a metallic eyeshadow look with natural looking lashes and well polished eyebrows. A touch of warm, neutral gloss would also help! Think Versace and Kisa.

[[ Lips - MAC 'Honeylove' and GOSH 'Darling' ]]

9. With dark smokey eyes, gloss and a deep contour.
My favourite way of all ten - pale lipstick right from the tube with eyes as dark as possible. I LOVE dramatic looks and this is perfect for a night out. Wear your usual foundation, a matte contour under the cheekbones/ jawline (if you like), a hint of cream blush over the apples of the cheeks (the slightest amount), dark eyeshadow in any style, defined eyebrows and heavy mascara. Top off with your lipstick and neutral gloss. Think Diane Von-Furstenburg and Gucci.

I have GOSH Darling, which looks absolutely hideous on my by itself, but I reckon I've used it in pretty much all the ways you've mentioned here save the highlighting your cheeks tip and the one about wearing it with bronzer. I usually mix it with a dark red lipstick I have to make a more manageable-for-daytime colour.

That's such a good idea! I don't have any light lippies like this, because I got rid of them, but I have ones that I know I can't really wear alone so I'll definitely try mixing them! Thanks for such a great post xxx

You're so right, I bought Gosh because everyone raved about it and then it was a flop for me - it's in my blog sale right now! If it doesn't sell maybe I'll try out these tips and keep it! I love the smokey eye look you've done there - it looks perfect - I can never get mine to look like that, always ends up a mess! Gem x

Great list! I'll have to try a couple of these. I don't buy pale lipsticks and glosses myself but sometimes get them in sets. I have pale skin but my lips are so pigmented 'nude' lipsticks and anything more than a couple of shades lighter than my natural colour just looks bizarre on me. I look best with bright lips, it's just a fact!

Actually, very pale girls often can't rock the extremely nude lip. The lip colors you can pull off have much more to do with lip color and tone, with skin tone being secondary. Not skin color. For instance, I'm extraordinarily pale, but my lips are a reddy-brownish pink, and I look like a corpse with lips that pale. I need a rosier pink or red. But this list of ways to work with nudes is quite genius. x

@ Esther, pale girls can and do rock the extremely nude lip so long as the rest of their make-up isn't 'dead'. When I give pale girls nude lips, I make sure they have glowing skin, flushed cheeks and clear, fresh eyes. In general, rosy or slightly coloured nude lippies will look livelier on everyone - whatever their natural lip colour is.